Surprise! Hershey Syrup Isn't Healthy After All, FDA Warns

When I buy Hershey chocolate syrup, I'm not buying it because I have any thoughts in my mind that it's healthy. No, I am buying it as a special treat for my family. That's why I was surprised when I read that the FDA recently sent Hershey Co. a warning letter about the "misleading" labeling on some of its products.

According to New York Daily News, the FDA told Hershey that it could not use two labels, "plus" and "fortification," on its chocolate syrup. Before the letter, Hershey sold a chocolate syrup product labeled as "Syrup+Calcium," as well as one labeled "fortified" with vitamins and minerals.

These labels can only be used if the product has 10 percent of the reference daily intake for that particular vitamin or nutrient: Because these particular syrups did not, Hershey had to change the labels.

This is the law and Hershey needs to follow it. But I personally think it's a little silly. The calcium-infused syrup has been renamed, "Syrup with Calcium", eliminating the plus sign but retaining the same basic idea. Is the marketing really any different? No. Am I more or less likely to buy this particular syrup now? No.

If I'm making the decision to buy chocolate syrup as a treat, I may be more prone to grab the "calcium" version over the plain regardless of the plus sign; and this change in labeling will not affect my decision. After all, I figure that the more opportunities I have to get some calcium in my kids, the better off they will be in the long run. But the syrup is still a treat, and a rare one at that.

Personally, I think this FDA warning is a little silly. Who really cares if they use those words on their labeling? Does the plus sign really convince us that particular food is a healthy food? If it does, then it's parents who need a warning letter — not Hershey.

I'm more concerned with the high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners in products like Hershey syrup. Perhaps, instead of focusing on this labeling, the FDA should focus on warning parents about the dangers of childhood obesity, which often results from consuming too much of these engineered sweeteners. This, in my opinion, is far more worthy of the government's attention than a little old plus sign.

Do you think this is an example of the government going too far, or do you think the warning was warranted? Tell us in the comments!

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Nicole Harms

Nicole Harms is a 30-something mom of three adorable girls. A seasoned writer, her work has appeared on USAToday, the New York Stock Exchange, and eHow.com. When she is not writing she is busy scrapbooking, doing crafts or reading with her kids, or volunteering at school.

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